November 12, 2025

LAW ALERT

After 42 full days of the government shutdown, the longest in American history, today the House voted on the Senate's negotiated Continuing Resolution (CR) to reopen the government. 

Here are some highlights of this CR:

• Funds the government at fiscal year 2025's levels through January 30, 2026, except for departments covered by the Military construction and Veterans’ Affairs, Agriculture, and the Legislative Branch appropriations bills, which would be funded through September 30, 2026.
• Funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September 30, 2026
• Prevents the Trump administration from conducting reductions in force (RIFs) before January 30, 2026

A major point of contention was the permanent extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. While the new CR does not feature this provision, Senate Democrats were guaranteed a vote on this matter by Senate Majority Leader John  Thune (SD).

Even though the federal government was inoperational, except for essential activities, these 42 days of the government shutdown created:  

• Funding disruptions to Head Start programs
• SNAP recipients were left without benefits
• Nearly 500 federal workers were RIFed by the Trump administration, which a federal court temporarily blocked
• Agencies were left with skeleton crews, making access to technical assistance and information from grant officers difficult
• The National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), the Department of Education's accreditation advisory committee, has not met, causing some accrediting bodies to be unable to prove compliance to the committee by their deadline, risking their recognition.

Grant Opportunities

Please review the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education's Community College webpage for new grants community colleges are eligible for.

Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)

The Department of Education opened a new grant opportunity, which features seven priorities that support four areas of need:  expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), protecting and promoting civil discourse on college and university campuses, encouraging accreditation reform, and building capacity for high-quality short-term programs. For community colleges, the very likely area of relevance may be the short-term programs, specifically, "the Expansion of Existing High-Quality Short-Term Programs priority" meant to support the expansion of existing short-term programs.  

The Notice Inviting Applications for the FIPSE competition has been published in the Federal Register. The deadline to apply is December 3, 2025. The Department expects to make awards by December 31, 2025. Click here ​​​​​​for additional information.

• November 20, 2025 02:00 PM ET: Preparing for Workforce Pell: The Role of States and Governors in Implementation
• December 3, 2025: Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education Due
• December 5, 01:00 PM ET: LAW Live Webinar
• December 11: Preparing for Workforce Pell: Workforce Alignment
• January 13: Preparing for Workforce Pell: Student Outreach
• February 8-11, 2026: National Legislative Summit

Outreach Efforts

Is your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials?

We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. 

ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW:

Would you Like a Federal Update Session for Your Team?

Both this new presidential administration and new Congress have brought with them a flurry of developments in the federal landscape that can make keeping up a monumental task. ACCT's Government Relations team is here to help by offering a 45-minute to an-hour federal update session to community college leadership teams who are ACCT members. To request a session, fill out this form and please email publicpolicy@acct.org with any questions.

Have a Question?

Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges.

If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy

Spread the Word.

Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) Alert network. To join, simply register here. 

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